Bipolar tonsil forceps



May 9, 1933. M. G. wELcH :if Al. 1,908,201

BI'POLAR ToNsn. FoRcEP-s Filed March 9, 19:51

y 2. Z0Z/ a 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 9, 1933 Y (,l-.MOBTON @WELCH ANnwInLiAM dnLnnEn, oF Mocoox, firiaiizsimsiznn.l

" Bironaa ToNsInroneEPs Application ined Marche, 19731.` serial N9. 521,066. I' I 'This yinvention relates to a method of and an instrument for administering dia-thermic current in the coagulation of tissuebeing removed in diathermic' operations, the -principal objects of the inventionbeing to perform such operations with a minimum of risk' and inconvenience tothe patient'and with al lesser degreeA of professional hazard to the operator. l f P v Itis alsoan object of the invention tov provide an instrument whereby the' operator may control the depth of coagulation in `the tissues.` l --In accomplishingv these'andother objects oftheinventiorn we have provided-improved details of structure, the-preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying ldrawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective `View of adiathermic instrument constructed infaccordance with 4our invention.

Fig. 2- is a longitudinal sectional view through the instrument, illustrating the elec- 'trode shafts-and their connection with the conductors for supplying the coagulating current.` f

Fig. `3 is a series ofend view illustrating various positions of the forceps tips. r

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional viewA of '30 the instrument taken at right angles to the section illustrated in Fig. 2, illustrating the electrode shafts and their actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view` of porons of the electrode shafts, particularly illustrating the inter-meshing gears and thumb lever for rotating the shafts.

Referring more in detail to the drawing: The instrument here illustrated is particu- -larly designed for the diathermy removal of ltonsils and includes a substantially pistol shaped housing 15 preferably formed of a suitable insulating material and having a AO'rip portion 2 and a barrel portion 3. The 'grip portion of the housing is provided with a recess 4 for the reception of the operating mechanism of the instrument and forfthe spring terminals which are employed incon- 4n'ecting the circuit wires with the operating shafts as later described.

as screws 7L -o'tally mounting the forceps tipslG and`17on lated.

The recess4 extends laterally through the 'grip portion ofthe instrument and is closed by plates 5 and 6 attached to the sidesvof Ithe housing by suitable fastening devices suoli :p 1 vExtending longitudinally of the barrel in y horizontally spaced relationis a pair'of bores 'and 9V forfreceiving a pair offelectrode Vshafts V10 andll. The electrode `shafts pref erablyv comprise cylindricalv metallic rods of sufficient lengthv so that their outer ends proect from the outer end ofthe barrel and their inner ends extendacross the 4'recess 4 and into bearing sockets` l2 and 13 formedl inthe wall of the recess as best illustrated-fin 65 vF ig. 4.

The outer ends of -ltherodsare preferably Aflattened to form. ear-S14 having suitable apertures to receive`pivot pinsl for piv- `l7-0 the ends of the respective rods,` whereby the tipsimay be swung from the positions shown at (a) and to the positionlshown at (0)4, Fig. 3, so that the device may beadjusted for operating on the right or left tonsil with- W5 4out changing position of the instrumentin the operators' `handyv The forceps `tipsare preferablyA hook-shaped and are provided with pointed terminals 18 of'suitable-shape to penetrate the tissue which is to be coagu-" -Received within the recess 4 on vtheinner end of each electrode shaft is a pair of intermeshing gears 19 and 20 'formed ofinsula#r lation material so that the 'currentA passed "l Vthroughthe electrode shafts will not" Short thlOllgllthe gears. i

F Xed on the electrode shaft 10" adjacent v 'the gear 19 and'entending'through'a'fslot 21 formed in the plate 5V is a thumb leveif22 Awherebythe shaftlO maybe rotated `to position the forceps tips 16 and 17, as shown'in In order to supply current `to the electrode shafts we provide spaced spring contact members .23 Aand 24, each having fixedends 25 vsecured toa` wall-of the lrecessh4 by screws 2 6 "and yielding free ends 27V bearingagainst the Erespectix'feshafts 10 and 11,` asbest illustrated l lExtending through a cylindrical bore 28 formed in the grip portion of the instrument are circuit wires 29 and 30 having their'ends connected to the screws 26 of each contact.

spring, so that a current may be passed from any'suitable type of diatherinic machine lto the spring contacts and through the contacts to the electrode shafts l0 and 11 which carry the forceps tips and through the tissue being coagulated.

In using anV instrument constructed and assembled as described, the operator grips the handle portion thereof and presses upwardly on the lever 22 to rotate the shaft l0 in an anti-clockwise direction, (Fig. 3), and simul'- taneously with themoveinent of the shaft 10, the shaft ll is rotated in the opposite direction. The forceps tips are then in opened position, ready to engage the tonsil tissue. The instrument is then brought into contact with the tonsil tissue and the thumb lever yispressed downwardly to rotate the shafts Conin reverse direction to close the tips. tinued pressure on the thumb lever will cause the points to penetrate the tonsil tissue.

Current then flows from one tip acrossto the other tip through the tonsil tissue, heating and coagulating the tissue due to resistance of the current. Owing to the fact that both terminals penetrate ther tissue a fairly light current is suliicient to produce the coagulation eect desired.

. instrument the Aoperator may coagulate only the selected portions of tissue which he picks up by the instrument and the current passing from one tip to the other destroys only that portion of the tissue between the points. AThe current therefore cannot go any deeper into the tissue than the operator desires.

The tipsmay be swung on their pivots as shown in Fig. 3 to enable the operator to treat both tonsils without the instrument.

From the foregoing changing his grip on it is apparent that we have provided albi-polar electro forceps adapted forthe coagulation of diseased tissues vwith a minimum of risk and inconvenience to the patient andv which eliminates danger of professional hazards.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 l. A diathermic instrument including a housing, -a pair of electrodes mounted in the housing, tipsniovably mounted oneach of said electrodes, means for supplying current to the electrodes for discharge across said tips, and means for adjustably spacing said tips.

2.' A diathermic instrument including a housing, a pair of insulated electrodes mounted in the housing, electrode tips pivotally mounted on each of rsaid electrodes, and means for supplying current to the electrodes for discharge across said tips.

3. A diathermic instrument including a housing, a-'pair of electrode shaftsrotatably mounted in the housing, forceps tips associat ed with eachof said shafts, means for supplyf ing current to the electrode shafts fordischarge across the forceps tips, and means for rotating theelectrode shafts for adjustably spacing saidtips.-v 'Y Y f l. 'A diatherrnic' instrument *A a housing, a pair of. electrodev shafts rotatably mounted in the housing, forceps tipspivotally -mounted on said shafts, means for supplying current to the electrode .shafts for discharge across the forceps tips, and means for rotating the electrode shafts for adjustably spacing said tips. f Y' 5. A diathermic instrument including' a housing formed of insulation material, a pair of electrodes rotatably mounted in the housing, intermeshing gears on the electrode shafts to maintain said shafts in related `position, forceps tips on each of said shafts, means for effecting actuation ofoneofthe shafts t0 adj ustably space the forceps tips, and means for supplying current to the electrode shafts l for discharge between said tips.

G. A diathermic instrument including a housing, a`pair of insulated electrodes rotatably mounted in the housing, intermeshing gears on said electrode ,shafts formed of insulation material., forceps tips on the electrode shafts, a lever. associated ywith one ofthe shafts for rotating said shaft to adjustably space the forceps tips, and means for supplying an electric current tothe electrode shafts.

7. A diathermic instrument including a housing having a grip portion anda vbarrel portion, a pair of electrodes mounted in the barrel portion of the housing, tips pivotally mounted on each of said electrodes,means for supplying current to the electrodes forvdischarge across said tips, and means associated with the grip portion of the housing for adjustably spacing said tips. 1

8. A diatliermic instrument including a housing, a pair of insulated electrodes mounted in the housing,.electrode tipsl on each of said electrodes, means for supplying current to the electrodes for discharge across said tips, and means for rotating one of the electrodes in said housing for adjustably spacing said tips. Y y n ,9. A diathermic instrument` including a housing, a pair of insulated electrodes mounted in the housing, electrode tipspivotally mounted on each electrode, mean'sfor suptures.

MORTON G. WELCH, M. D. WILLIAM C. ELDRED. 

